I Found Love When I Found You
by MyCedarChest
Summary: Although Pepper and Tony's marriage has not been very traditional in the sense of the word, they find that some traditions are best kept.


**Most of the characters in this story belong to Marvel Comics and whoever else has current legal ownership of Iron Man at the moment. No infringement on any corporate, business, or individual's rights is intended in any way. This story is not being written for profit, just for enjoyment.**

**Author's Note: The song in this story is titled "When I Found Love I Found You" by Kenny Wayne Shepherd from the "Trouble Is" CD. I heard this song this morning as I was slaving away in my workshop, and this little ficlit just popped into my overworked head.**

I Found Love When I Found You

Now **this** was an 'after party' to remember. Far different from the disastrous 'after party' that followed his last birthday party when he and Rhody had practically destroyed the Malibu mansion. This particular 'after' party was a surprise party thrown by Tony and Pepper's family and friends the day after the newly married couple had returned home from their impromptu overseas honeymoon. Since their actual marriage ceremony had been a civil one hastily conducted by a judge on the spur of the moment by necessity, their family, friends, and the Avengers, of course, thought they needed a proper party to celebrate their long over due marriage.

So he and Pepper had been very surprised when they were led into the KC Hall under the guise of attending a family's member's birthday party only to find a huge "Congratulations Pepper and Tony" banner hung across the entryway and the hall packed with their family and friends, lots of great food, an open bar, and a huge dance floor with a live band. It took them over an hour just to get through the line of people that had formed to congratulate them and welcome them back. Tony was convinced that he had never shaken so many hands, kissed so many cheeks, and hugged so many people in such a short amount of time ever in his life. He loved to see Pepper happy, and greeting their family and friends had her in happy tears one minute, and giggling the next. Pepper was thoroughly enjoying herself and **that** made Tony truly happy. The catered dinner was amazing. Tony ate until he thought he was going to burst. And he wasn't the only one who stuffed themselves. Tony was fairly certain he saw Thor back in the food line for the 5th time before the caterers packed up for the evening. They had just finished eating when one of Pepper's cousins walked on stage. Tony remembered that this particular cousin was a professional musician who Pepper had said was in a rock/blues band. As the rest of the band took the stage, Tony suddenly recognized the lead guitarist of the band as Kenny Wayne Shepherd, a very gifted rock guitarist.

"Hey out there, quiet down." Pepper's cousin Noah said loudly as everyone turned to the stage. "We aren't really a dance band, but we will make due tonight as we help celebrate the long overdue marriage of my cousin, Pepper Potts to Tony Stark." The crowd applauded and whistled in response. Noah waved his hands trying to quiet the crowd down again. "This first song is dedicated to the lovely couple. Would Mr. and Mrs. Stark please approach the stage?" he teased by addressing them formally.

Tony smiled at Pepper as he stood up reaching down to take her hand, helping her up from the table. He pulled her out on the dance floor and they walked slowly towards the stage hand in hand as the crowd cheered and applauded them. They stopped about ten feet from the stage, looking up at Noah.

"This one is for you guys." Noah said smiling down at them as the band starting playing.

_**And I found love, when I found you  
When I look in your eyes, I know that it's true  
My life was lonely, yeah broken and blue  
Then I found love, when I found you**_

Tony gathered Pepper in his arms and began to dance with her as the music continued. Tony had this song on one of his many play lists. He agreed with Noah as he looked deep into Pepper's eyes, holding her like his life depended on it: Yes, this song **was **for them.

_**Oh once in a lifetime, yeah that's how it feels  
That something so good, so damn good  
How can it be real?**_

_**Oh when you touch me, yeah  
You touch me through and through**_

_**Yes you do  
You know I found love, when I found you**_

He saw Pepper's eyes well up with tears as the band continued. Tony knew that Pepper was his soul mate, his best friend, and the only woman in the world he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He had woken up in her arms numerous times since they had been married wanting to pinch himself just to make sure that her being with him was real and not just a dream. He slowly leaned his forehead over so that their heads touched gently together. She lovingly put her arms around his neck and his hands automatically moved to tenderly encircle her waist as they slowly continued to dance in time to the song.

_**Now Girl, you've got all of me  
And I want you to know right now  
That there's nothin' in this crazy ol' world  
That would make me wanna let you go**_

Tony rubbed circles with his thumbs over her hips enjoying the feel of her graceful muscles under his hands. He had always been possessive of her, but now emboldened with the song, he pulled her closer to him in a move that was not lascivious as it was just staking his claim and wanting the whole world to know it. After all this **was** their first 'public' outing since they had been married.

_**Yeah, once in a lifetime**_

_**Hey now that's how it feels**_

_**Yeah something so good, so, so good**_

_**How can it be real? **_

He watched as she slowly closed her eyes, a small smile forming on her lips. She looked quite content. He smiled at her as he continued leading her in their slow dance. She suddenly opened her eyes and smiled coyly at him. Tony immediately recognized that look having already been Pavlovianly conditioned to respond to her on a sexual level during the short few weeks they had been married. Willing his body to stand down, he quickly wished that this was their last dance of the night instead of their first so they could leave and return home to dance on a more horizontal level. He was however quite happy that he was wearing jeans instead of board shorts, so his 'enthusiasm' to dance a more primal type of dance with his wife didn't give his not-so-innocent thoughts about his new bride away. She leaned into him and kissed him tenderly on the lips as he closed his eyes, getting lost in the feeling of her lips on his.

_**Oh now Girl when you touch me yeah  
You touch me through and through**_

_**Yes you do  
I know I found love, when I found you**_

As the song ended, applause mixed with cheers and whistles broke out in the hall. Tony realized that they hadn't moved very far away from the stage as they had danced. As he looked around, he noticed that no one else had joined them on the dance floor either. Tony gave her a big smile as he turned Pepper towards the stage, wanting to thank the musicians for the song.

When they got close to the stage, Noah leaned down over the edge of the stage hugging Pepper who then physically tried to pull him off the stage as she hugged him back in thanks, much to everyone's amusement as laughter rang out through the hall. Tony barely managed to save Noah from hitting the ground as Pepper laughed delightedly at the look of shock on her cousin's face.

"God woman, but you're strong." Noah announced as he climbed back onto the stage ungracefully as laughter erupted again. "Some advice for you Tony…don't **ever** piss this woman off."

"Your advice is about twelve years too late!" Tony replied laughing as he pulled Pepper away from the stage, trying to preserve what was left of Noah's dignity.

"Hey, this is a **dance,** not a concert! Come on everyone; get your lazy asses out on the dance floor!" Noah shouted and the sound of chairs scraping the old wooden floor of the hall resounded noisily as the crowd got up to join Pepper and Tony on the dance floor, while the band launched into another song.

As the dance floor filled up quickly around them, Tony pulled Pepper into his arms again and kissed her firmly on the lips. He knew that at any second, Pepper's father would be tapping his shoulder in order to cut in and dance with his daughter. After all a father/daughter dance was traditional after a wedding. And even though their marriage thus far had been no where close to a traditional one, this particular tradition just felt right. And Tony also knew that this was just the start of an avalanche of short dances with family and friends for each of them, and that it would be some time before he and Pepper would be in each other's arms again. He was already missing the warmth of his Pepper and she hadn't even left his arms yet. As he looked deeply into her eyes, he felt his heart soar upon seeing the depth of love for him there in those beautiful blue eyes as they continued dancing. It was as if she could feel his thoughts and wanted to reassure him that their separation on the dance floor would indeed be only temporary.

Seeing Pepper's father walking towards them, Tony quickly leaned over to gently brush his lips past one of her ears as he spoke intimately to her "You know I really **did** find love when I found you, Mrs. Stark and I'm never going to let you go." He smiled at her "Except to let you dance with your dad of course."

She smiled brilliantly at Tony as her father stepped up behind him. "I love you too, Tony. And for the record, Mr. Stark, I don't intend to let you go either. Except to dance with my mom, Oma, my Aunt Betty, Aunt Lou, Cousin Jessie, Cousin Ann, and at least eighty-two other women tonight." She stopped suddenly and they both smiled at each other in understanding as Tony gallantly gave her hand to her father and walked across the dance floor trying to spot Pepper's mom in the moving crowd.

**Author's Note: Do a YouTube search on Kenny Wayne Shepherd playing Hendrix. This guy is an amazing guitarist. **


End file.
